Most of us think we know what trauma is. However, there are different types of trauma and plenty of different ways people respond to it. In its simplest form, trauma is a psychological response to a highly stressful event. We often associate trauma with soldiers coming home from combat. However, according to the Sidran Institute, an organization for Traumatic Stress Education & Advocacy, it is estimated that 70% of adults in the United States have experienced a traumatic event at least once in their lives.
Common examples of major trauma
Violence
Domestic violence, rape, sexual assault or abuse, physical assault, verbal abuse or child abuse
Death or Medical Emergencies
Survivors of fatal accidents, being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, invasive medical procedures, a death of a close friend or relative
Catastrophic Events
Veterans or civilian victims of war, natural disasters, plane crashes, terrorist attacks
Other Trauma
There are many other experiences that people don’t identify as trauma, but are very real and create the same devastating symptoms. A few examples include:
Parents going through a divorce
Losing a job
Financial instability
Death of a close friend or pet
Some less obvious examples include:
Driving on a busy highway
Public speaking
Getting a bad grade
Being reprimanded by a parent, coach or boss
Discrimination
Social injustice
The key learning is, if you or a loved one personally experience the symptoms of trauma from any event, it can be identified as trauma for you, even if other people don’t understand or see things the way you do.
Signs of Trauma
People often respond to trauma differently and the effects of trauma don’t always manifest themselves right away. Even when they do, they’re not always easy to recognize. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the common symptoms of trauma:
Common Symptoms of Trauma
Psychological Effects of Trauma
Some symptoms can show up immediately, others may take time to surface depending on the type of trauma you’ve experienced. For example, it’s not uncommon for survivors of childhood abuse to have low self-esteem and feel guilty or ashamed well into adulthood. You may not fully understand why if you’ve repressed some of those memories. Longer-term reactions to trauma typically include things like flashbacks and difficulty controlling your emotions. The lasting effects of trauma can even impact your relationships. You might feel the need to withdraw from others, or you might be overly dependent because of what you’ve gone through.
Physical Effects of Trauma
Though the lasting mental health effects of trauma are serious, you can also experience physical symptoms that have a negative impact on your life. Some of the most immediate physical issues include things like headaches, nausea, a racing heart, and fatigue. Unfortunately, these symptoms can last well after the traumatic experience has passed if you struggle with holding onto fear or anxiety from it. You might have lingering digestive issues, difficulty sleeping, or frequent headaches that impact your quality of life.
Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish the physical symptoms of trauma and to disregard them as something else. However, by recognizing the pattern of physical issues in addition to the psychological symptoms, it may be easier to determine that something more serious may be going on beneath the surface.
What Should You Do?
If you or someone you know has been through a traumatic experience, it’s never too late to get help. Counseling is often the best treatment option for trauma survivors. A counselor will help you better understand your situation, including how and where it started. It’s not always easy to get to the root cause of trauma. However, it’s often a necessary first step in the healing process. A counselor can offer a safe, neutral space for you to get to that root cause. From there, you’ll also work through strategies to express yourself and your feelings, as well as different ways to cope. You’ll develop a better understanding of your “triggers,” and what to do when you experience them.
Trauma can alter your life, but it doesn’t have to control it forever. No matter what kind of experience you’ve been through, there is hope and there is help.
